| “ | Great warriors and doomseekers who have unsuccessfully found death thus far... even against Giants. | „ |
Giant Slayers are a 
Dwarfs melee infantry unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer II with the Resurgent Update.
Recruitment[ | ]
Unlocked with: Monument of Grimnir or Grimnir's Monument of Karak Kadrin- Recruited with: Regiment of Renown Recruitment panel as part of The Great Book of Grudges mechanic
Description[ | ]
Slayers are the strangest and most deadly of all Dwarfs. They are outlandish doom-seekers, individuals who have wholly dedicated the entire fibre of their being to the hardest and most destructive life of battle that they can find. They take the solemn and binding vow of the Slayer Cult, oaths which oblige them to forevermore seek death in battle at the hands of the most deadly enemy they can find. Next, Slayers shave their heads save for a solitary crest - a fearsome plume which they dye bright and stiffen so that it sticks out at alarming angles. Then they begin their quest for a glorious death, deliberately seeking out mighty targets to destroy such as Trolls, Ogres, or even Giants. In times of battle, Slayers arrive from the wilderness to join a throng, lending their considerable combat skills to the Dwarf cause. Many desperate wars have been won by the ferocity and sheer determination of the Slayers. Although they prefer to hew down towering monsters, at need, they will turn their axes to scything down any enemy. Even when bloodied and battered after a battle's end, they will pause only long enough to slake their thirst before beginning their deathquest anew.
Attributes[ | ]
- Great Axe Infantry
- ▲ Armour-Piercing: The damage of armour-piercing weapons mostly ignores the armour of the target, making them the ideal choice against heavily-armoured enemies. They are often heavier and attack at a slower rate though, making them less efficient against poorly-armoured targets.
- ▲ Anti-Large: Anti-Large: Anti-large units have an advantage against targets that are at least as large as a horse. This advantage can be a damage bonus against large targets or an attack that focuses on a very small area. However, some units are simply better against large targets because their attacks are slow and easy to dodge by skilled melee combatants.
- ▲ Fast (for a Dwarf): While Dwarfs are generally not the most nimble inhabitants of the Old World, they can move surprisingly fast when not slowed by heavy armour.
- ▲ Deathblow: Slayers are unbreakable and always fight to the bitter end – sometimes even beyond that! Imminent death only makes them fight harder. When killed in melee, Slayers launch a final attack with their dying breaths.
armour-piercing weapons mostly ignores the armour of the target, making them the ideal choice against heavily-armoured enemies. They are often heavier and attack at a slower rate though, making them less efficient against poorly-armoured targets.
Unit Abilities[ | ]
Passive Abilities[ | ]
Strategy[ | ]
Giant Slayers trade the Whirling Axes missile defense of normal Slayers for Armour-Piercing. In addition, changing to the greataxe means they lose 8 melee defense--combined, they are even more vulnerable than the normal Slayers! This tradeoff comes with great benefits, however, as the Giant Slayers gain in just about every other department. Charge Bonus, Bonus vs. Large, much higher raw melee attack, and a massive boost to AP damage makes the Giant Slayers the ultimate glass cannons, capable of utterly shredding the enemy's valuable cavalry or monster units, but almost guaranteed to take heavy casualties in the process.
As such, the same basic rules apply as to regular Slayers--Giant Slayers should never be allowed to take an enemy's charge if at all possible, or to be focused by missile fire. Hold them in the wings until the battle is properly engaged, then point them at high value targets and watch the carnage. Using a unit or two as guards for your artillery is also an excellent role for them (though they would probably disagree if asked). While no Slayer unit is cheap, Giant Slayers' large recruitment and upkeep costs mean you need to consider more than any other Dwarfen unit exactly how you're going to use them--they are too expensive to allow to be destroyed if you can at all help it!
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